Blog

Share on:

A Measured Life: Technology & Data That Motivates

Posted By:
SGK
January 15, 2014

Human behavior has always been difficult to change. It’s no wonder that we all seem to have similar new year’s resolutions: be more active, get more sleep, eat better food. We want to live healthier lives, but most of us lack the resources to keep us motivated and focused on achieving those goals.

Cue technology and data.

More and more it seems technology is filling this support structure gap, empowering us to act in ways that fundamentally change the way we live. Here are prime examples of how companies are leveraging technology and the power of data to improve lives.

• Wearable technology like the Fitbit, Shine, and Basis are designed to be paired with a simple mobile apps. Each helps you set weekly activity and sleep goals, track your progress, and score your daily effort. And if you’re naturally competitive, these applications also have a gamification element so you can compete with friends.

• Need to take Rover for a walk more often? Fitbark actually tracks the activity of your canine companion, awarding you an overall BarkScore for your pet parenting ability. Want to improve your driving? Automatic plugs right into your car’s OBD port and will help you break the habit of sudden breaking and overly quick accelerations by awarding you a driving score after each trip.

• If you’re trying to initiate some new habits, these two apps are good examples of technology enablers. Full, an iPhone app, lets you track almost anything, while GreenApes is a social media app that educates and inspires users to lead more sustainable lives through their everyday decisions.